1. Field of the Invention
An apparatus consistent with the present invention relates to a display device for a portable terminal, and more particularly to a display device for a portable terminal which can display an adaptive image for a user's convenience.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of digital technology, functions of electronic appliances have been diversified, and the miniaturization of such electronic appliances has been on an increasing trend for a user's convenience in carrying the electronic appliances. Among electronic appliances, a small-sized electronic appliance that can transmit/receive data is called a portable terminal, such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a PPC (Palm-sized PC), an HPC (Hand-held PC), a lap-top computer, a cellular phone, etc. Other examples of portable terminals include an electronic pocketbook, a digital camera, and a video camera.
Especially, a portable terminal such as a cellular phone, a PDA, a PPC, etc., can transmit/receive text data, a photograph and an image, such as a moving image through a display provided therein, as well as transmit/receive audio data.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a general display device for a portable terminal. Referring to FIG. 1, the display device for a portable terminal includes a transmitter/receiver unit 101, an image pickup unit 105, an image storage unit 103, a control unit 107, and a display unit 109.
The transmitter/receiver unit 101 transmits/receives data to/from an external appliance by wireless or by wire. The transmitter/receiver unit 101 transmits text data, a still image or a moving image among data received from the external appliance to the control unit 107, or stores the text data or the image in the image storage unit 103 in accordance with a user's storage command inputted through an input unit (not illustrated).
The image pickup unit 105 picks up a still image such as a photograph or a moving image according to a user's manipulation. The image pickup unit 105 transmits the picked-up still or moving image to the control unit 107, or stores the image in the image storage unit 103 according to a user's storage command inputted through the input unit.
The control unit 107 decompresses and restores the still or moving image received from the external appliance through the transmitter/receiver unit 101 and displays the restored image on the display unit 109. Also, the control unit 107 compresses the still or moving image picked up by the image pickup unit 105 and stores the compressed image in the image storage unit 103 or transmits the compressed image to the external appliance through the transmitter/receiver unit 101. The control unit 107 also controls the display unit 109 to directly display the moving image picked up by the image pickup unit 107. An example of a still image being displayed on the display unit 109 is illustrated in FIG. 2.
The display device for a portable terminal as described above, however, has drawbacks in that, since it can display the still or moving image only in a predetermined direction on the display unit 109, the user should fix a position of the portable terminal only in one direction with respect to the user, in order for the user to view the still or moving image displayed on the display unit 109 as it is.
Also, in the case that the user hands the portable terminal over to a person in front of the user or by the side of the user, the user should consider that the direction of the portable terminal coincides with the position of the person for the convenience of the person.